Policemen escort a group of refugees after their arrival in Hanover in April this year. German intelligence services have evidence that Islamic State members have infiltrated the country disguised as refugees | Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images

German intelligence warns of ISIL ‘hit squads’ among refugees

Official says country has to accept it is home to terror ‘sleeper cells.’

German intelligence services have evidence that “hit squads” from the Islamic State terror group have infiltrated the country disguised as refugees, the deputy head of Bavaria’s spy agency told the BBC Thursday.

“We have to accept that we have hit squads and sleeper cells in Germany,” Manfred Hauser, the vice president of the Bavaria region’s intelligence gathering agency, BayLfV, told the Today program.

“We have substantial reports that among the refugees there are hit squads. There are hundreds of these reports, some from refugees themselves. We are still following up on these, and we haven’t investigated all of them fully,” said Hauser.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière will present a set of new security measures in Berlin on Thursday, following recent attacks in the country inspired by ISIL.

Hauser said intelligence services have “irrefutable evidence that there is an IS command structure in place,” making a coordinated attack, similar to those seen in Paris last November and Brussels in March, “likely.”

Bavaria has been the main gateway for asylum seekers fleeing conflict in the Middle East, over 1 million of whom arrived in Germany in 2015.

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No really! Who’da thought they’d be so devious.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 1:27 PM CET

Hi Jack

but I thought they were all scientists and engineers only coming to help Germany, I never imagined there may be terrorists, with the majority perhaps being absolutely unemployable or a huge threat to life and culture as we know it, not forgetting the massive financial cost of supporting 1 million migrants who wmay never assimilate with German society..I am shocked !

Posted on 8/11/16 | 2:07 PM CET

M

IS ‘hit squads’ among refugees?!
Nah, can’t be…these are just xenophobic, racist, far-right opinions of people who don’t open their hearts to their fellow humans, as we’ve been told many times by our all-knowing leaders! 😉

Seriously now: half a year ago, people who were genuinely concerned about this possibility had their online comments censored with the justification that they are “inciting to racial hatred”. Interesting how the times change after a few attacks.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 2:28 PM CET

Tom Cullem

Right shock, that. As if the German intelligence service, and every other one in Europe and America hadn’t warned of that from the beginning. Oh, Europe – you have sold your soul, your children’s cultural and historical patrimony and future, for a specious ideology cherished by fools. You thought the EU would prevent further European wars. You just didn’t count on other kinds of wars in Europe, did you, that you would enable rather than prevent?

In every hand of cards events and Fate deal, there are always a few cards you never see until they fall out onto the table.

Unsecured borders, more migrants pouring in now through Italy, Erdogan daring you to withhold visa liberalisation no matter what he does . . . youth unemployment, the euro a disaster . . .

Indeed, BREXIT is not only the least of the EU’s worries, but within five years it, too, will be unrecognisable as it sinks under the weight of one mistake after another and it becomes clear that you saw the handwriting on the wall far too late for a rewrite.

Merkel and the leftists will accuse the vice president of the Bavaria region’s intelligence gathering agency, BayLfV of Islamophobia. Seriously, if this report is accurate it is only a question of when and where the strike will happen, not whether it would take place.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 3:55 PM CET

Alex

Poland, Hungary, the UK and other countries refusing to take on more refugees should be rewarded, not penalised.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 4:15 PM CET

DanTheMan

MVU will be outraged at this slight on her adopted Mummy Merkel’s impeccable judgement.

The sad thing is politician’s aren’t really this dumb. They know the risks better than us.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 6:00 PM CET

Fred

Well DUH!

Posted on 8/11/16 | 7:19 PM CET

Emerson

marxists think they can triangulate the 7th century to destroy capitalism and Christianity, leaving themselves unharmed, because Nihilism…

Posted on 8/11/16 | 7:32 PM CET

Laurens Blei

HERE come the comments blaming the refugees for the terrorists, exposing their bigoted and uninformed thoughts, and also shows how damn inhumane they themselves are, comparable to the terrorists that might have infiltrated. Yes, blaming the refugees for the terrorists, makes you on the side of the terrorists.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 7:38 PM CET

S

Stay cuckolded Europe.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 7:47 PM CET

Donald X Trump

build a wall

Posted on 8/11/16 | 9:43 PM CET

Bud Brigman

This saddens me, because anyone who was afraid of this exact thing happening was pilloried and shouted down (figuratively). Now, these countries’ citizens are not as safe because their governments failed them. But I’m sure nothing like this is happening in the States …

Posted on 8/11/16 | 10:11 PM CET

frust 2016

A big lie this study-instead all the asylum seekers find no Jobs and are a big and dangerous burden for our Democracy.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 11:19 PM CET

John Smith

Why isn’t the Pope taking people into the vatican grounds if he want the rest of Europe to open their county, open yours first.

Posted on 8/11/16 | 11:31 PM CET

That Guy

Maybe if we all hug a terrorist they will change their mind and stop killing us?

Posted on 8/11/16 | 11:39 PM CET

stefan

this article is simply here to divert attention from the other one that tells us there are terrorist cells amongst the refugees. Standard political propaganda tactic.

Posted on 8/12/16 | 12:05 AM CET

stefan

Sorry wrong way round, the other tells us how wonderful refugees are to job creation and economy

Posted on 8/12/16 | 12:06 AM CET

Graca

It’s only scientist and engineers…because, as we all know, if there are two areas that Germany has fallen behind in, it’s science and engineering. /s

Posted on 8/12/16 | 3:47 AM CET

SimonB

I can still remember watching political talk shows in Germany back in 2015 in which people like Cohn Bendit (MEP), Jakob Augstein (publisher) and Ralf Stegner ( German politician (SPD)) were swearing up and down that anybody who was suspicious of ISIS using the refugee influx to infiltrate the EU were everything from scaremongers to xenophobes to idiots, that nothing could be further from the truth.
These talk shows should be widely rebroadcast and juxtaposed beside the statements of the Manfred Hauser to expose the dangerous foolishness of such people like Cohn Bendit, Jakob Augstein, and Ralf Stegner.

Posted on 8/12/16 | 11:02 AM CET

Brian

When I read the comments on all main websites about this migrant/refugee fiasco, I wonder why newspapers don’t employ journalists that reflect the opinions of the readers? Look at the comments here. And all main stream news websites. All overwhlmingly expressing anger/fear/disagreement with Mama Merkels insanity. Why not hire journalists that reflect what ordinary people are thinking? And not journalists writing about how they wish things to turn out in the future

Posted on 8/12/16 | 11:29 AM CET

policorrect

I don’t understand 🙁
They kept telling us that it is the religion of peace. So who are those violent people? Are they martians? Are they shape shifters? Are they secretly christians? Or atheists?
I’m soo very curious of the explanation they’ll come up this time. You gotta give it them, they’re very creative.
Maybe Carl Bildt can come up with some new explanation, since he’s so engaged in this.
Come on fools, give us some more lies!

Posted on 8/12/16 | 3:06 PM CET

Robbie

Imagine our shock! Duh!

Posted on 8/12/16 | 3:18 PM CET

Murky Angel

It really doesn’t matter. I mean we must learn to live with terrorism, or else the terrorists win.. I think.. Isn’t that the message the regressive left want us to take from this?

Posted on 8/12/16 | 3:34 PM CET

Vladimir Putain

I hope that most people now understand the real enemy are the Political Correct & Left, since it’s them who made these and coming mass killings and rapes possible!

Posted on 8/12/16 | 5:02 PM CET

QP

And the worst thing is that this is only the beginning and we all know it, but nobody’s going to act and nothing will change until it’s too late. No matter who wins the next elections or the ones after that.

Posted on 8/12/16 | 7:26 PM CET

rham

And this is what Hillary and Obama want to bring to our country. Trump 2016!

Posted on 8/12/16 | 8:48 PM CET

PolticalCorrect

On the other side, segregation is the new gold!
Those, who can guarantee musl1m free travel, housing, schools, universities etc. will make billions in the future.
Just imagine how free, safe, prosperous, democratic and tolerant our world would be without them! YES WE CAN !

humanoid

ddh

No kidding ! Who could have thought that letting in millions of so called “refugees” without verifying their identity might create problems ?!?
Are Germans going to follow blindly their Fuhrer until the end again ?

Posted on 8/13/16 | 9:23 PM CET

Paul

Just imagine. Would the world be more or less peaceful without the ‘religion of peace’?

Posted on 8/13/16 | 9:26 PM CET

StillPill

Our biggest threat is Political Correctness, Liberalism & Socialism,

They are the AIDS that prevent society’s immune system from fuctioning.

If you have AIDS you cannot fight a cold, unless you fight the HIV virus.

Posted on 8/13/16 | 10:51 PM CET

Dude

Official says country has to accept it is home to terror ‘sleeper cells.’

No you Germans don’t have to accept it. You must vote for the political parties that will put a stop to this nonsense. Merkel must go.

Posted on 8/14/16 | 7:28 AM CET

Karl Martell

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BUILD WALLS – MASS DEPORTATIONS NOW!!!

These monsters have no right to sully OUR ands!

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Posted on 8/14/16 | 12:03 PM CET

Karl Martell

Karl Martell

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@PolticalCorrect That’s EXACTLY RIGHT!!! I can’t stand the sight of them. I’d love moslem-free travel so I won’t have to look at these 7th Century barbarians any longer! Private plane travel and limo service is a bit out of reach. the commie libs who made this mess travel moslem-free while leaving US to deal with these monsters. What country has the least amount of moslems and isn’t taking any of them in? Because THAT is where we need to go!

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Posted on 8/14/16 | 12:15 PM CET

Maria Valentina Umer

Terrosism is also home-made, in Europe and in the USA by their own citizens. Consider the case of Brevik, the Norwegian who shot cold-bloodlily 82 youngsters holidaying in a Norwegian island; the depressed young German pilot of Germanwings who wanted to committ suicide and sent nearly 200 passengers to death with him; the Chritian fundamentalist who blew up the Oklahoma building.

Young men are prone to such attacks, in their own countries and towards their own folk.

Posted on 8/14/16 | 1:47 PM CET

manuel

@Karl Martell

here is one of your commie lib apologists right among us – @Maria Valentina Umer saying don’t criticise them it is nature for men.

Posted on 8/14/16 | 2:04 PM CET

Kevin

Don’t know how they didn’t see that coming with an open door policy

Posted on 8/14/16 | 3:55 PM CET

jake

@Kevin

They do, it is acceptable collateral damage.

Posted on 8/14/16 | 5:41 PM CET

Maria Valentina Umer

If the Brits are so scared of security in Germany or France, they can stay home for their holidays and forever. Yorkshire and Cornwall are lovely. And the pebble beaches , plus the spendid rain, and a cup of tea should make them happy. Home Sweet Home!

Posted on 8/14/16 | 9:40 PM CET

Maria Valentina Umer

Sometimes I forget that this Newspaper is British -American. No wonder some of the commentators show the typical USA-rabid, pro- Trump stance, and the usual foul language of US proletarians, in addition to their scelerotic stance towards the EU.

Posted on 8/14/16 | 9:55 PM CET

Maria Valentina Umer

To the USA commentators on these pages: Stick to your USA ! You have nothing to contribute to the EU. And we EU people don´t want anything to do with you. Take care of your own affairs and stay inside the wall Trump wants to build. Guantanamo for rabid USA neo-cons?

Posted on 8/14/16 | 10:18 PM CET

Scott

@Maria Valentina Umer

Are you a little mental?

Posted on 8/14/16 | 10:25 PM CET

grant

@Maria Valentina Umer

What has this article to do with the UK?

Posted on 8/14/16 | 10:34 PM CET

grant

@Maria Valentina Umer

What has this article to do with the US?

Posted on 8/14/16 | 10:42 PM CET

Maria

@Maria Valentina Umer

<<<< the usual foul language of US proletarians, in addition to their scelerotic stance towards the EU<<<<<

You probably do not realise that soon there may be no EU to speak of.

Posted on 8/15/16 | 11:19 PM CET

Sean

@ Maria Valentina Umer

What makes you think the EU is so hot? The EU is a sad shell of a failed state being crushed under the weight of a gargantuan bureaucracy with ZERO respect for the will of Europeans. The EU seems to have no desire to save itself from economic ruin, demographic collapse, or the hordes of Muslims intent on subjecting it to sharia law. It’s an ineptocracy ruled by political elites, populated by sheep without the backbone to free themselves and reestablish democracy, and afflicted with a very limited lifespan. As was just pointed out, the EU probably won’t be around in another 20 years, although it’s already useless enough now.

As for the US, we have gotten worse lately, but only in the sense that we’ve become more like the EU- too much socialism and government programs, too much economic regulation, too much government in general. But we are still the strongest and most free nation, and we sure are a lot better off than the folks in the EU. Perhaps the demise of that entity will serve to give US liberals a wake up call to their own foolishness and guide us back towards limited government. By the way, we’ve also been footing Europe’s defense spending bills for the past few decades and fighting the terrorists in the Middle East for you. We did all of this to keep you from being overrun by hostiles, which is exactly what’s happening now. No need to thank us for our protecting you for this long.

Posted on 8/16/16 | 3:14 AM CET

Laura Gruich

I’d REALLY like to understand why or maybe better asked; why haven’t the refugees that are young, military aged men are not sent back to fight THEIR war? Women can also be in these “hit squads”. Germany & the other countries in EU with so many refugees that are “not instant presto citizens”, why can’t they be deported? It affects their crime rate, culture and economic state for jobs and welfare budgets. Just as it will (has) effect the US very soon.

Posted on 8/16/16 | 9:44 PM CET

`Dee

I’ll bet there will be ISIS among the refugees coming to this country.

Posted on 8/17/16 | 5:27 PM CET

Karl Martell

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@Maria Valentina Umer

—

YOU DISGUST ME.

Thankfully Europeans are waking up to reality and traitors will be named and shamed.

VIVE LA RESISTANCE!

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Posted on 8/18/16 | 12:23 PM CET

Karl Martell

.

That’s funny. Merkel just said there are no terrorists among these “refugees”.

LOL

Which one is it?

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Posted on 8/18/16 | 12:24 PM CET

Karl Martell

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@Maria Valentina Umer

—

Nice to accept FREE TUITION at the University of Iowa and now disrespecting the NAtion that gave u this opportunity. Nice touch. Really. Your gratitude shows, just like the Rapefugees show theirs.

For all the Americans, BREXITERS, friends & Patriots.. I give thee..

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. ”

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

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Posted on 8/18/16 | 12:30 PM CET

Karl Martell

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Oh, say! can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s re d glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vuntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Bless with victory and peace, may the heav’rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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Posted on 8/18/16 | 12:35 PM CET

LArs

What every thinking person already knew thus is confirmed. And of course that also means that Merkel lied that her way of dealing did not increase for German people…